Press Release: State aid: Commission authorises aid of €457 million to France for Nano2012 R&D programme

The European Commission decided not to raise any objections under the EC Treaty state aid rules to the financial support of €457 million granted by France to the Nano2012 research and development (R&D) programme. The STMicroelectronics Group will coordinate the programme, which will involve CEA-LETI and other industrial players and research bodies. Nano2012 is aimed at developing new technologies to design and produce the next generation of integrated circuits. Following an in-depth examination of the aid granted to STMicroelectronics for Nano2012, the Commission concluded that the aid was compatible with the Community guidelines on state aid for research, development and innovation. The programme will generate positive externalities in terms of dissemination of knowledge. It is thus designed to compensate for market failure and will have only a limited impact on competition.